Most HDB resales are 3-, 4- and 5-room flats — but a handful of flat types almost never come up. This list ranks HDB flat types by how rarely they transact across the full resale record, from the rarest up. Rarity here is structural: some of these types are no longer built at all.
HDB flat types, rarest first
Transaction counts across the full HDB resale record, with each type's share of all resales and its average size and price.
| # | Flat type | Total resales | Share | Avg size | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multi-generation | 86 | 0.04% | 161 sqm | $863K |
| 2 | 1 Room | 87 | 0.04% | 31 sqm | $216K |
| 3 | 2 Room | 4,871 | 2.08% | 46 sqm | $306K |
| 4 | Executive | 16,666 | 7.12% | 145 sqm | $74K |
| 5 | 3 Room | 55,738 | 23.83% | 68 sqm | $377K |
| 6 | 5 Room | 57,227 | 24.46% | 118 sqm | $632K |
| 7 | 4 Room | 99,267 | 42.43% | 95 sqm | $537K |
Why these flats are so scarce
Multi-generation
Multi-generation (3Gen) flats were built to house extended families under one roof, with a dedicated studio for grandparents. HDB stopped building them, so the standing stock is tiny and fixed. Only 86 of these have changed hands in the resale record, averaging about 161 sqm.
1 Room
One-room flats are the smallest HDB category, largely a legacy of early public housing and today offered mainly as rental units — very few are sold on the open resale market. Only 87 of these have changed hands in the resale record, averaging about 31 sqm.
2 Room
Two-room flats (including the newer 2-Room Flexi) are compact units aimed at singles and elderly downsizers. They form only a small slice of the resale market despite strong BTO demand. Only 4,871 of these have changed hands in the resale record, averaging about 46 sqm.
Executive
Executive flats — including the prized double-storey maisonette — are the largest standard HDB homes. HDB no longer builds maisonettes, which underpins their resale premium. Only 16,666 of these have changed hands in the resale record, averaging about 145 sqm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rarest HDB flat type?
The Multi-generation flat is the rarest in the resale record, with just 86 transactions. Multi-generation and 1-room flats are consistently the scarcest.
Why are some flat types so rare?
HDB has discontinued several designs — multi-generation flats and executive maisonettes among them — so their resale supply is fixed. Others, like 1-room flats, were always a tiny share of the build programme.
Methodology & Sources
The dataset behind this report spans the full HDB resale record; we refresh it every month.
HDB resale and rental data from data.gov.sg.
- Rarity is measured by total transaction count per flat type across all available HDB resale caveats — a structural measure, not a recent-window artefact.
- Average size and price are means across each type's recorded resales.
Price-per-square-foot (PSF) here means the median deal in the period; means are reserved for volume-weighted aggregates explicitly labelled as such.